Severe storm damages panels and wiring at Peoria County solar farm

What happened

In the spring and summer of 2026, severe weather including heavy rain, strong winds, hail and tornadoes swept through Central Illinois. Peoria County officials surveyed the 17-acre Cameron Solar farm on Cameron Lane, on the south side of Peoria, in March. Of the county's 15 solar farms, it was the only one reported to have sustained significant storm damage. The facility is operated by Cameron Solar, LLC and was developed by Foster Solar.

Wind had lifted panels off their structure and separated some electrical lines, and another array was tweaked and twisted, needing new panels. The developer was carrying out repairs, with the construction manager on site expecting them to be completed by Thanksgiving. The county's process includes checking whether new permits are needed or whether part of the array must be shut down to avoid electrical damage or hazards. The article does not report any injuries or fire.

Contributing factors

Severe weather in spring and summer 2026, including heavy rain, strong winds, hail and tornadoes. County officials said high winds can get under panels and uproot them. No root cause analysis was reported.

Lessons learned

1. Wind uplift can pull panels from racking and separate cabling, so racking fixings and array design should be checked against local design wind and tornado loads.
2. After a storm, electrical lines and arrays should be inspected and isolated where needed before they are returned to service.
3. Local authorities in this case inspected the site after the storm and contacted the developer, and annual inspections and financial assurances are one way to check that storm damage is found and repaired.

More lessons on design, standards and commissioning, weather and external hazards, from every incident on the register.

Source

25newsnow.com